For thousands of years man has flailed and slashed cutting weapons to defend and protect. These weapons include, but are not limited to, knives, short and long swords, sticks, batons, staffs, spears, and nunchaku. However, during the learning process, use of such instruments can be very dangerous for both the trainee and teacher. Thus, training instruments are employed to minimize the dangers. For example, wooden swords having blunt points are often substituted for the real item. However, even the blunted swords can cause injury, such as bruises, even when used properly. Often protective gear is worn to further prevent injury. For example, in kendo, heavy and cumbersome protective equipment evolved to provide protection to the combatants.
However, over thirty years ago, Kaicho Tanabe Tetsundo and his group of swordsman created a new style of swordplay initially called Goshindo, later renamed Sports Chanbara. This Chanbara style of martial arts was very traditional but employed the use of more modern materials such as rubbers and plastics to develop a sword called the AirSoft.TM. Kodachi which employs an adjustable air filled bladder in the body of the sword to prevent injury to the combatants. The development of the Kodachi allowed combat with only a light head mask to protect the face and eyes. This new style of martial arts has become the fastest growing combative sport in Japan and is recognized by Japanese Department of Education.
However, the traditional Kodachi weapons of Sports Chanbara are generally hand made, work ntensive and very expensive because of the use of the air bladder. Thus, there is a need for a device which is simple to manufacture, durable and safe to use in martial arts training, and, more particularly, to substitute for the traditional Kodachi.
None of the known prior art disclose the device set forth herein.